9? I started reading Cardcaptor Sakura in 4th grade, but I suppose I watched anime on Toonami and such before then. I just didn't associate it with Japan or anything. I was really into it through middle school, but moved on to western comics and animation during high school. Now I'm 20 and catching up on all the stuff I've missed :] ( Though now I feel like I'm neglecting my Marvel babies :[ )

I was probably about five when shows like Ulysses 31 and Battle of the Planets (Gatchaman) were on, and a couple of years later there was Thunderbirds 2086 and Mysterious Cities of Gold, but I only really became aware of anime and started buying it during the first wave of releases from Manga Video when I was 13. As with many around that time, it was Akira that got me hooked initially. I received a free copy when I subscribed to a Sega Megadrive magazine back in 1992.

I kinda used to watch anime when I was young probably around 5 (mainly cuz my cousin was into it) but I didn't realize it was anime. It was around 5th or 6th grade that I got obsessed though. So I was I think 9 or 10 when I understood what anime was and actually started looking up anime to watch and reading manga.